The debate has once again ignited in the Philippine archipelago. It only took a few words of the President, spoke in terms chosen from across the world, in San Francisco. A spark, barely, and everything was packed, suddenly.
Benigno Aquino spoke before Filipino expatriates in San Francisco, when a question was posed to him on his positron on family planning. Benigno Aquino replied diplomatically "The Government IS obligated to inform everybody of Their Responsibilities and Their choices (of contraception). At the End of the day, Government Might Provide Assistance to Those Who are Without Means If They Want to Employ a Particular Method, "(" The government has an obligation to inform each person of his choice in terms of contraception. And the government could help those who can not afford to use the method they wish).
This statement seems a priori harmless and far from any controversy in any secular liberal democracy, and the archipelago Filipino whose constitution was modeled on that of the United States, which prides itself on having very up politics liberal and feminist, being the first Asian country to elect a woman to lead the country in 1986.
Liberal, yes, except when it comes to family issues and sexual abuse, where the dominant position that is currently held by the Church. Thus, not only abortion is absolutely prohibited, but access to contraceptives is difficult, and most importantly, non-funded by the state. For the Filipino clergy still considered condoms or the pill as "abortion methods."
A front comes therefore to occur, with one side the clergy who had threatened to form the President of "excommunication " , and the government that tries to show the difference between abortion and contraception. Amid the media has made the front page of their newspapers about the conflict for 10 days.
The main challenge of this war is the adoption of the law on the financing of family planning by the state. A law that was debated in Parliament for 15 years, but still successfully opposed by the clergy.
Meanwhile, the archipelago continues to see its population explode the Philippines today have 95 million inhabitants for an area half the size of France, and one of the highest population growth in Asia East at 2% per year. In 1960, there were only 25 million (see chart).
But meanwhile, the poorest families have received no training or financial aid to control their family size, while those poor households who have barely enough money to eat, can not afford to buy condoms at 30 cents. These families have grown up in slums, and poverty that has produced more poverty: poor households have an average of 5 children, 2 against children in rich families.
Now, the new Parliament preparing to reopen the debate and comment on a proposed new law on the subject. The debate that is taking place right now is thus only prelude.
To understand the stakes of this issue of family planning, here are some links to my recent and past work on a subject that continues to haunt the Filipino society
- An article in today Cross, about the war between the Church and Aquino.
- A documentary on the effects of the ban on contraceptives in Manila
- A post published at that time, the debate that ensued in comments.
do not hesitate to write a review or post comments below.
Benigno Aquino spoke before Filipino expatriates in San Francisco, when a question was posed to him on his positron on family planning. Benigno Aquino replied diplomatically "The Government IS obligated to inform everybody of Their Responsibilities and Their choices (of contraception). At the End of the day, Government Might Provide Assistance to Those Who are Without Means If They Want to Employ a Particular Method, "(" The government has an obligation to inform each person of his choice in terms of contraception. And the government could help those who can not afford to use the method they wish).
This statement seems a priori harmless and far from any controversy in any secular liberal democracy, and the archipelago Filipino whose constitution was modeled on that of the United States, which prides itself on having very up politics liberal and feminist, being the first Asian country to elect a woman to lead the country in 1986.
Liberal, yes, except when it comes to family issues and sexual abuse, where the dominant position that is currently held by the Church. Thus, not only abortion is absolutely prohibited, but access to contraceptives is difficult, and most importantly, non-funded by the state. For the Filipino clergy still considered condoms or the pill as "abortion methods."
A front comes therefore to occur, with one side the clergy who had threatened to form the President of "excommunication " , and the government that tries to show the difference between abortion and contraception. Amid the media has made the front page of their newspapers about the conflict for 10 days.
The main challenge of this war is the adoption of the law on the financing of family planning by the state. A law that was debated in Parliament for 15 years, but still successfully opposed by the clergy.
Meanwhile, the archipelago continues to see its population explode the Philippines today have 95 million inhabitants for an area half the size of France, and one of the highest population growth in Asia East at 2% per year. In 1960, there were only 25 million (see chart).
But meanwhile, the poorest families have received no training or financial aid to control their family size, while those poor households who have barely enough money to eat, can not afford to buy condoms at 30 cents. These families have grown up in slums, and poverty that has produced more poverty: poor households have an average of 5 children, 2 against children in rich families.
Now, the new Parliament preparing to reopen the debate and comment on a proposed new law on the subject. The debate that is taking place right now is thus only prelude.
To understand the stakes of this issue of family planning, here are some links to my recent and past work on a subject that continues to haunt the Filipino society
- An article in today Cross, about the war between the Church and Aquino.
- A documentary on the effects of the ban on contraceptives in Manila
- A post published at that time, the debate that ensued in comments.
do not hesitate to write a review or post comments below.
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